Biologic Therapies

Adverse Reactions

A decrease in allergenicity is expected with a decrease in murine protein sequence, but even a fully human antibody contains nonnative epitopes and can elicit an immunologic reaction:
- -momab - fully murine, most potentially allergenic
- -ximab - chimeric, approximately 30% murine (e.g. rituximab and infliximab)
- -zumabs - humanized, approximately 5% murine (e.g. trastuzumab)
- -umabs - fully human, least potentially allergenic

Frequency of infusion reactions clinically consistent with immediate hypersensitivity is:
- 5-10% of patients with rituximab (Rituxan)
- 2-3% for infliximab (Remicade)
- 0.6-5% for trastuzumab (Herceptin)